Unrequited
by SoftNoodle
Summary: AU. SessKag. Once close friends have grown apart. However, among them, Kagome harbors a deep unrequited love for one, a love her friends think he does not deserve and they set her up with someone else. But, Sesshoumaru does not intend to lose her.
1. Chapter 1

**Unrequited**

Summary: (AU) A College fic. SessKag. Things have changed since they were children. The once close friends have grown apart. Kagome's unrequited feelings, however, had not changed. Through her heartache and silent love for a friend that her friends think does not deserve, they set her up with someone else. But, Sesshoumaru quickly learns, that he harbors a special affection for Kagome, and does not intend for the other to steal her away.

**Chapter One**

Kagome sighed, returning her attention to the movie that was playing across her television screen. Sometimes she wondered why he bothered showing up at her house at all.

Beside her, Sango gave her a knowing look and a nudge. She planted a large bowl of popcorn into Kagome's empty hands and commanded her to "start snacking" with a pointed look. Kagome gave a grateful smile and dug in. Sango always made the best popcorn. Even if it was just microwave popcorn, Sango somehow had the magic touch to make it taste even better.

Kagome and her friends were all clustered about in her home, sprawled across the living room floor in front of the TV. Such was the way that their group could normally be found on Friday nights.

Inuyasha and Kikyou would be settled in one corner of the room. Miroku and Sango would be beside her. Houjo was often found sitting slightly apart and always glancing over at Kagome once in a while. Sesshoumaru and his 'girl of the week' would be sitting on the couch, most likely having a tongue war.

Kagome frowned. Once, they had been a tightly knit group. They had grown up together, gone through so much together. They had been there when Sesshoumaru's and Inuyasha's parents had gone through a rather nasty divorce. They had been there when Miroku's father died. They had been there when Sango's parents had been murdered. They had been there when Kikyou's parents had moved, leaving Kikyou to fend for herself. They had been there when her own father had died.

Looking back, they had suffered through much hardship together, mostly consoling one another after tragic loss. A lot of people they had been close to had either left or died. Her frown deepened. After so much loss, she would have figured that all of them would understand what it was like to lose people. So why was Sesshoumaru drifting away from them all?

It had started her freshman year, his junior year, of high school. She had been excited that now they would all be attending the same school again. Sure, the middle school was right across the street from the high school, but it just wasn't the same. She soon discovered, right after the entrance ceremony, that high school would be nothing like middle school. She quickly found Sango, Miroku, Inuyasha, Kikyou, and Houjo, as they were all entering high school at the same time. She knew that Sesshoumaru had been in attendance since he was their friend, and his father would have grounded him if he hadn't shown up.

Kagome smiled. It would have been funny to see Sesshoumaru grounded. As far as she knew, the Ice Prince never got into trouble, unlike his younger sibling.

What a surprise it had been to see her friend behind the auditorium, making out with some girl she had never seen before. Kagome turned eight shades of red before fleeing back to the incoming freshman class. She ran into her friends and stammered out that she had been unable to find Sesshoumaru. When questioned about her violent blush, she gave a crooked grin and lied, saying that she had accidentally gone into the boys bathroom instead of the girls. They broke out into peals of laughter, and Kagome got away with her fib.

After that, Kagome found out that Sesshoumaru had quite the reputation around campus. Apparently, he had become quite the heartthrob in freshman year. He had lost his virginity sophomore year. Entering junior year, he was well known as a womanizer and a heartbreaker. Girls would throw themselves at his feet. Kagome didn't blame him, Sesshoumaru was sinfully gorgeous.

It did make her laugh however, at the memory of when they were younger. Sesshoumaru hadn't always been so good-looking. In fact, when they were five, and Sesshoumaru seven, he couldn't seem to shed his baby fat, and was always teased for his cute, chubby cheeks, and rather noticeable paunch. When he turned ten, he seemed to have shed too much fat, and he had shot up become a tall gangly kid with feet three sizes too big. By his second year of middle school, he had evened out in appearance. Entering high school, he had become drop-dead gorgeous.

A smirk tugged at the corner of Kagome's lips. Sesshoumaru was beautiful, and unfortunately, she had fallen to his charm. For years she had struggled with the notion that she had a deep-seated crush on him, and had always told herself that it was okay, it was only a crush, it would go away in time. She had been dead wrong. Her affection for him hadn't gone away and it had only deepened with time.

A frustrated sigh escaped her lips and she dug into her popcorn. Thinking such thoughts wouldn't help her. She would do nothing about her feelings though. Sesshoumaru didn't need her there overcomplicating his life. Besides, he never even seemed to notice her feelings, nor did he seem to return any. Giving her emotions a sharp push to the side, she stared intently at the screen, willing herself to catch up on the plotline of the movie of which she had fallen behind in her musings.

A half hour later, she let out a strangled moan. Her lower abdomen had cramped up something fierce. She grimaced. Crap…she was getting her period. Great time for it too, she thought bitterly. She flashed Sango and Kikyou a look only they would understand. Both girls gave her sympathetic nods, totally understanding. She smiled weakly in response and stood to go to the upstairs bathroom where her necessities were kept. She belatedly noted that Sesshoumaru and his arm candy were missing from the couch. Had they gone home? She felt a pang of guilt for be a negligent hostess, but for now, she could chalk it up to it being her 'time of the month,' she grinned.

She passed her room on the way to the bathroom and was surprised to find her door shut. She remembered that she always kept her door open, it was just a habit. She moved to open to the door when she heard strange noises coming from the other side. It sounded like some thumping and moaning. Wondering at what was going on, she opened the door. It was unlit inside, but she didn't have to wait for her eyes to adjust to discover exactly what it was going on in her room.

There was Sesshoumaru and his girl having sex on her bed. On HER bed! Kagome was at a loss. Something inside her seemed to be breaking. She gulped and took a steady breath. The two were so busy rutting away on her sheets that they hadn't noticed her. Okay, good…maybe… Quickly she shut the door and ran to the bathroom, shutting it quietly behind her. She saw nothing, That nothing would cause her to have to change her bedding and sterilize her room later when everyone was gone, but it was still nothing.

She had never meant anything to him besides a friend, so it was okay. He didn't love her. She didn't love him. She swallowed again, bitterly trying to fight back tears. Yes, that was a lie. She loved him. She couldn't help it. But ohhhh…no one had ever told her that unrequited love would have hurt so much. She sat on the bathroom tile, wrapping her arms around her knees and burying her head. It hurt to see her friend sleeping around like he did. She wished that he had acted more respectable. She had been surprised to find out how very much he had changed from the boy she had grown up with. But she couldn't stop loving him.

Some time ago, she would have scoffed at the idea of falling in love so young. It was foolish and to be so young, one would be only a child with a premature concept of what love really was. But she couldn't help herself. She wasn't sure when it had happened, but somewhere along the line, she had fallen in love with her friend.

She was a college freshman now, and Sesshoumaru was a college senior. He had every right to do what he chose, he was an adult, and she was just a silly child still, just, a bit older. Kagome tried to rationalize with herself, but it wasn't working. No matter what she told herself, or tried to force herself to believe or accept, it still hurt. It seemed like some kind of betrayal to their relationship to see him rutting on her bed with some other girl. It wasn't fair.

After fifteen minutes of silent sobbing, she realized that her friends would probably be wondering where she was. She went to the sink and washed her face free of tears. She practiced smiling in the mirror to see if she could pull it off without fault. Satisfied with that, she popped some Ibuprofen for her abdominal pains and skipped down the stairs. She wouldn't tell anyone what she had seen. Sesshoumaru's relationship with the rest of them was straining as it was since he had been drifting further and further away…

-:- -:- -:-

Once Kagome had fled up the stairs, Kikyou and Sango shared another look, one of pity. They were fully aware of Kagome's feelings toward their estranged friend, even if she had never said anything. That girl wore her heart on her sleeve. All of her emotions were as easy to read as any book. They sighed, both wishing that their dear friend had fallen in love with someone more deserving, or if Sesshoumaru would ever get his lust-filled head out of his ass long enough to see someone who truly cared for him, instead of the two-cent whores he strung along. Maybe though…sharing a conspiring look with each other, the girls moved a bit closer to Houjo.

Inuyasha and Miroku shot the girls a funny look. What was with all the sighing tonight? The movie wasn't that bad…

-:- -:- -:-

Miroku grinned winningly when Kagome traipsed down the stairs again. "Hey, I was beginning to wonder what took you so long."

"I was just in the bathroom." Kagome answered with a smile.

Inuyasha smirked. "Fall in?"

Kagome rolled her eyes at her friend's immaturity. "Yes, I fell into the toilet and it took me quite a long time to get out and dry my clothes of toilet water." She replied sarcastically.

Hojou paled. "Are you alright, Kagome?" He asked, scanning her form for any sign of injury. "You should change. It's not healthy for you to be wearing contaminated clothing." He stood, ready to usher her to her room so she could change.

Inuyasha, Sango, and Kikyou broke out laughing at poor Hojou's naiveté. Miroku sidled up to Kagome laying his hands on her thighs.

"Kagome, you should allow me inspect you for signs of harm." He said while waggling his eyebrows in an obviously perverted manner.

Kagome bopped him on the head and Sango smacked him from behind and dragged him away.

Kagome grinned. Yup, everything was fine.

With Sango and a not-quite resisting Miroku pulled across the room, and Inuyasha and Kikyou tucked away into one corner of the couch, Kagome plopped down beside Houjo. The boy tensed for a moment, flushing slightly. Giggling inwardly, she leaned in to him, resting her head on his shoulder. She could feel him jump about a mile high. She grinned. However, she started when one brave arm was brought up and wrapped around her shoulders. She looked up curiously. Houjo's eyes were focused far too intensely on the movie, and had it not been for the color staining his cheeks bright red, she might have believed that he was really that interested in the movie. As it was, she knew he was trying to avoid eye-contact with her.

She smirked slightly to herself. He was so cute and innocent, sometimes it was all she could do to stop herself from pinching his cheeks. She allowed her body to relax into his embrace. Immediately, she felt him ease up as well when she didn't push him away. Her eyes lidded drowsily. It was surprising how very comfortable Houjo was to lean against. He was so very warm. She snuggled into his shoulder, looping her arms around his waist. Houjo's blush only darkened, but his grin couldn't be suppressed. His loose grip around her tightened slightly, bringing her closer to him. Kagome sighed contentedly. Houjo was soothing to be around.

Unbeknownst to her, she was already forgetting what was transpiring in her very room. She would fall asleep in the living room with her friends, like every other Friday night. In the morning she would recoil in horror at her room and throw all her belongings into the washing machine whether it was waterproof or not, then sterilize the room with vast amounts of rubbing alcohol. But at the moment, the one thought twirling about in her mind was that she had vastly under appreciated Houjo's company.

-:- -:- -:-

Next Friday had rolled around quickly. Kagome all too thankfully flopped onto her couch, her body half sprawled across the other occupant.

"Not that I don't mind the company, but what's up?" Miroku asked with a grin and a leer, turning his attention from the TV and peering down at Kagome's head, cradled in his lap.

"Shut up." Was Kagome's muffled reply. She was too tired, and by rights, this was her couch. If she chose to lay on whoever was there, it was her choice. She felt a pat on her head.

"Rough day?" Miroku asked, uncharacteristically serious.

Kagome could only groan. She was failing math, and nothing she did was helping. When they were younger, Sesshoumaru would often sit down with her and help her review her math problems, but since he had become otherwise occupied…she didn't want to think about it. Her teacher had spoken with her outside of class, and encouraged her to get a tutor. He knew that she was trying, but math simply was not her forte. She didn't want to disappoint her mother or grandfather, but it frustrated her that no matter how hard she tried, it just didn't make sense.

Added on top of that was her extra curricular duties. Somehow, she was secretary to the archery club, with Kikyou as president, and she was one of the senior members of the self-defense club that was headed by Inuyasha and Sango. And every once in a while Miroku roped her into helping out with the local myth and legends club since she lived in a shrine, and her grandfather had bestowed upon her the rich knowledge of the local myths and legends since she was child, whether she wanted to learn or not. School was eating her alive.

She turned her face over in Miroku's lap and groaned again. "School sucks…"

"I know." Then her friend tapped her head as if inspiration had struck. "Why don't you ask Houjo to help you out? He's one of the top students in class, isn't he?"

Kagome mused over that. He _was _one of the top students, ranked just a bit higher than her. Only Kagome's abysmal math skills prevented her from reaching any higher. It felt strange to ask him though, she knew that he liked her, and she didn't want to lead him on. He was just a good friend. But she really could use the tutoring. She sighed. "I guess I could." She acquiesced softly. Then she turned over, looking up into the other teen's face. "Hey, where's everyone else?"

"Ah, snack run. You should have seen the look on Inuyasha's face when Sango had told him that you were out of ramen. It was priceless. Anyways, he dragged Kikyou along to go buy some, and Sango went too, to see if she could get any ingredients to whip up for later. I don't mind though. It gives me more alone time with your lovely company." Miroku leered.

Kagome swatted at his face. "Shut up." She murmured, trying to hide a blush. Compliments always made her flush, she just didn't know how to take them well. Insults she could handle, though.

"Aww, so modest, Ka-go-me-chan?" Miroku sing-songed.

She flicked in him in the nose. "I'm gonna nap. If you move, I'll elbow you where it hurts." She muttered, then rolled over to face the TV and closed her eyes.

When her breathing evened out, Miroku sighed. He really did mean it. Kagome was a truly lovely girl, she was just too modest. She thought too lowly of herself, and it wasn't good for her self-esteem. She needed someone to support her in more ways than her friends alone could provide, but at the same time, he didn't like the idea of having her run off with some random guy. Kagome was too vulnerable and naïve, despite her physical capabilities, she was still emotionally immature.

She couldn't handle too complex feelings without guidance. She was truly an innocent, a simple creature. He mused over how she could be kept so innocent in their rather jaded and cynical modern society. People would take advantage of her for sure. He had when he had just met her, as it was his nature. But he learned, Kagome was more than a simpleton, she truly cared for those she befriended, and even those she just met in the street. Kagome needed someone as simple as her, or experienced enough with the world to look out for her when they couldn't. Briefly two images sprang to mind. Houjo and Sesshoumaru.

He discarded Sesshoumaru quickly. Sesshoumaru had become…rather cold to them as of late. They didn't dislike each other, but the camaraderie they once shared had vanished. Kagome was the one that still tied him to the group, though it was a rather tenuous hold. Houjo could be more trustworthy. After all, the boy just didn't have it in him, the capability for deceit. He and Kagome would make a rather cute couple, and Kagome would stay within the group. He wondered what Sango would think if he told her he was playing matchmaker, which was her and Kikyou's unofficial job.

-:- -:- -:-

A week later, Kagome was wondering what had possessed her to ask Houjo to be her math tutor. She had always known that Houjo could be a little…on the weird side, especially when anyone had shown a shred of illness, but this was disturbing. She could only stare in fixated horror.

"What…is it?" She asked, a little weakly.

"Tea." Houjo replied, his grin a bit too wide for her liking. Had it been anyone else, the grin would have sent Kagome fleeing from the house. But Houjo being Houjo, he simply didn't know how creepy he looked, offering her some unknown brew, and grinning like that.

She gave a slow nod. "Tea…" She said softly, as if trying to reassure herself that the noxious smelling brew was not a form of disgusting poison, and was acceptable for human consumption. The liquid inside was a dark brown, almost completely opaque, and it was thick. It was like some kind of sewer sludge., and it smelled awful. She looked at him again, and faltered at his expectant expression. He really wanted her to drink it. Gingerly, she lifted the proffered cup to her lips and took a tiny sip.

AUGH! It was disgusting! It was vile! EWWWWWW! She desperately wanted to run to the sink and scrub at her tongue while running it under hot water. Oh gods, what had she just drunk? It was bitter and tasted like rotten fruit rinds and moldy bread. Her face screwed up, and she was pretty sure by Houjo's crestfallen look, that even he had realized that it wasn't the tastiest drink to offer her.

"So, um…how did you like it?" He asked tentatively.

Arg! Did he know how much he resembled a kicked puppy when he looked at her like that. She grimaced inwardly. "It's…not too bad. Definitely an acquired taste though." She said with a wry smile. As if to prove that she didn't hate the concoction, she took another sip, and felt her stomach shrivel.

Houjo immediately perked. "That's true. I remember that at first, I didn't like it all that much, but it's so healthy that I couldn't not drink it. I have at least a pot every other week. It helps to keep vitality. Grandma has a pot everyday." He beamed.

She hid her grimace. A pot everyday? Did she not have tastebuds? "By the way, what uh…is it? I mean, what kind of tea?"

"Brown lizard."

Kagome's brain stalled. "What kind of tea?" She repeated, and she was sure her voice had become a tad shriller.

"Brown lizard." He replied again, the ever-present smile on his lips.

Wide eyes turned to her cup. She had just drank…brown lizard…The mental image of a dead, dried lizard with a string and tab tied to the end of its tail appeared in her head. A smiling Houjo was placing it in the pot of boiling water to steep like it was some kind of horrific teabag.

"It's an old Houjo family recipe with Chinese origins. Everyone in our family drinks it. It's a bit of a tradition." He explained happily.

Kagome could only nod in mute horror.

"Have a cup. We have plenty more. And I can show you how to grind the lizards, if you want. It's a great recipe, really. And it's really good for you." He smiled encouragingly.

Kagome set the teacup down quickly, trying not to look to obvious. "Um, shouldn't we get started on math?" She asked, hoping that it didn't sound too rude. But the idea of grinding dead lizards for tea sent shivers down her spine.

"Oh!" Houjo looked aghast. "I'm sorry." He blushed. "I guess I got a little carried away. Here," he lead her out of the kitchen and into the living room, settling her down on the couch. "I'll go get my books and we'll get started."

In the end, they had studied together for about two hours. Houjo was a wonderful tutor. He was patient when she made a mistake or had difficulty grasping the concept, and he always explained the material slowly and clearly, not once irritated when she asked him to repeat something.

It was a surprisingly pleasant experience, an emotion she had never considered in conjunction with the subject of math, but with Houjo, it wasn't too bad at all. And there was that one instance when he was explaining something from his book, and she couldn't find it in hers, so she had leaned over to peer into the book in his lap. Houjo had turned such an interesting shade of beet, that she was sorely tempted to do it again. He was kind of cute when he stammered.

After the lesson, he had brewed up another pot of that horrendous tea, but Kagome had found, that the second time around, it didn't taste so bad.

-:- -:- -:-

-:- -:- -:-

-:- -:- -:-

SM: Cutesy fic, isn't it? Well, I guess that is what I was going for. There are like 918374092834093824 million High School or College fics out there already, I know, but I couldn't help myself. So here is my crappy entry into the oversized world of School based fics. I hope it wasn't too bad...


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Sesshoumaru was bored. Perhaps he needed a change of pace?

"Kagura." He looked down at the woman in his arms almost thoughtfully.

"Hmm?" She looked up into her boyfriend's face sleepily. "What is it Sesshoumaru?"

His face was impassive. He stared back at her unfeelingly. "I think we should break up."

-:- -:- -:-

"So, um…did you want to, that is, if you don't have any plans this Friday, at um…around 11:30, if you wanted, we could, maybe…lunch, and uh…a-a m-movie, perhaps…um…" Houjo stuttered, his hand behind his head. His head was bent down, staring at her feet instead of her face.

Kagome stared perhaps a little too intensely at the beleaguered boy, trying to make heads or tails of his struggled request. She managed to catch "Friday," "11:30," "lunch," and "movie," which she was sure were the only important parts. Once she had it sorted through, she beamed at him. "Sure, Houjo. I'd love to!"

The blushing boy looked pleasantly startled. "R-really? Oh, great! Th-then I'll pick you up at 11:30 this weekend!" He grinned brightly, his face burning a vibrant crimson.

"Excellent!" Sango clapped vigorously. "Now, do that, exactly as we rehearsed, and it should work at perfectly fine! But just to be sure, we should run it through a few more times!"

Kikyou shot her friend a look of long suffering. She had been playing "Kagome" in their practices for the past hour. It had taken Houjo the first forty-five minutes before he had been able to stutter out anything comprehensible. Then the next fifteen minutes was used to fine tune his stutter into a request that could remotely make sense. Kikyou had the sinking feeling that it was going to be a very long afternoon.

-:- -:- -:-

"Waaah! That movie looks so cool! We should go see it!" Kagome tugged on Inuyasha's sleeve while staring at a movie poster and pointing. It was for one of her favorite animes. "It comes out on Friday. We can make it a weekend thing with the others!" She grinned excitedly, knowing that most had Friday classes, though she would have liked to see it opening day.

"Keh! I don't see what's so great about it." He shot her a sideways glance. Secretly, he had been keeping tabs on it since he had first seen the preview for it several months ago. "But if the others agree to come, then I guess I'll go too." He muttered, shrugging carelessly.

Kagome hid a grin. Did he think he was fooling anybody? She knew as much as the others that he been looking forward to it for about well over the last few months. "Sure!" Her head swung to the left. "What do you think Miroku? Eh!" She started as she saw the dark-haired boy grinding his elbow into Inuyasha's ribs.

"Maa, it's nothing Kagome-chan. Inuyasha here just made a rather lewd joke!" He gave a disarming grin as Inuyasha shot him a dirty look.

Kagome's expression turned suspicious. She hadn't heard anything, and it sounded more likely that Miroku would be laughing his ass off in the streets or congratulating Inuyasha, had he actually made a dirty joke. But still, she knew for a fact that Miroku was a very talented liar, surely he could have come up with something better? She decided to ignore it. Most likely, it was just another guy thing she didn't understand. She went back to peering at the movie poster. "Woah! Ken Narita1! He's one of the most talented seiyuu2 out there! That's so awesome! They're gonna keep all the same seiyuu as in the anime!"

While Kagome was distracted by the movie poster, Miroku glared at his dense friend. Hadn't it been just last week that he had shared with Inuyasha his plan to push Houjo and Kagome together? Okay, yes, Inuyasha hadn't exactly jumped for joy at the idea. He had thought that Houjo was a little too bland, too plain, too boring for Kagome. But he had finally agreed when Miroku had argued that would he rather see Kagome alone and miserable? After all, she and Houjo were the only two left unpaired. Why not stick them together? Houjo really liked Kagome, and he had many traits that Kagome would love. They got along fine. Miroku didn't see much of a problem with it.

It had been his idea to go buy lunch for the others, and he had dragged Inuyasha and Kagome along under the guise that he needed them to carry all the bags. He had insisted on walking, knowing that along the way, they would pass a couple posters of the movie Kagome wanted to see. She would of course, ask if they wanted to go. Unfortunately, all of them except Houjo would be busy, thus Kagome and Houjo go out on a romantic movie date! It would be perfect!

So he grinned. "Sounds great Kagome, but _this_ weekend? Ah, I'm so sorry, but I think me and Inuyasha already have plans." He said, sounding a bit distressed. "_Don't we_, Inuyasha?" He asked pointedly, his eyes turning steely.

"Uh…err, yeah. I just forgot! So, sorry we can't go, cuz I gotta do stuff!" Inuyasha chipped in hurriedly. Miroku could get scary when he was intent on certain things. It was one of the rare traits of his crafty friend.

"Oh…" Kagome's tone was disappointed. "Well, I guess I'll ask the others when we get there. I know it's a bit last minute." She hid a frown. She thought that they would be excited to go. They loved the show as much as she did. She shifted the bags in her arms. "Well, we should hurry up. Wouldn't want the food to get cold." She said cheerily. Sango, Kikyou, and Houjo were probably still waiting, still hungry. It had taken them over an hour to get to the restaurant and get their orders. The lines at the restaurant had been unbelievable. Had it not been for Inuyasha's impatient temper and skill in scaring the employees as well as patrons, they would probably still be there.

Miroku gave her a soft smile. He felt a bit bad for manipulating her like this, but, she would be happier in the long run. Still, he didn't like seeing her disappointed, and it had been a while since they had all gone out together. "Why don't you go Friday, if you can find someone. I mean, I know you probably would want to go opening day."

She blushed. That was certainly true.

He smiled. "Maybe next weekend." He suggested. "You can go out this Friday night, and then we'll all go next weekend, my treat."

"Ah!" Kagome's eyes widened. "No, it's not problem, I can just wait until next weekend!"

He held up a hand. "No you can't. I know how you are. You're like a little kid when it comes to movies, so impatient." He said almost chastising. "And besides, I know you'll want to see it again." He grinned.

She beamed, her face flushed. "Thanks Roku."

-:- -:- -:-

The door banged open.

"Finally." Kikyou sighed in relief. They were back, and now Kagome would have to go through the ordeal of patiently listening to Houjo stumble through his invitation. She barely understood it and she already knew what he was trying to ask her. She almost felt sorry for Kagome, but as she had been "Kagome" for the past hour and a half, hopefully her friend would forgive her for her lack of sympathy.

"Food's here!" Kagome announced happily from the kitchen.

Sango grinned, her own stomach rumbling. "Great!" She gave Houjo an encouraging pat on the back. The unfortunately pallid boy smiled weakly.

Kikyou sighed. He wasn't ready, even after that crash course practice. Well, no matter. She doubted Kagome would notice once she picked out that he was asking her out on a date.

"Hey! You guys wanna go see a movie Friday?" Kagome ran into the living room, grinning.

Kikyou wanted to groan. Sango stared open-mouthed. All of their hard work!

Houjo beamed. "Oh, Kagome, I wanted to ask you the same thing."

"Does that mean you're free?" She asked excitedly.

"Of course."

"Awesome!" She pumped a fist into the air. "What about you two?" She asked, turning toward Sango and Kikyou.

"Ah, sorry." Sango clapped her hands together in a pleading gesture. "Some other time maybe? I-"

"_We_," Kikyou interjected, "both have class. Sorry." She gave an apologetic smile.

"Oh." Her expression fell for a second, she'd almost forgotten that only she and Houjo didn't have class on Fridays. Then, remembering Miroku's words, she brightened. "Next weekend then." She turned her attention toward Houjo. She really wanted to see the movie, especially opening night. "So, this Friday?"

He nodded.

"Great, I'll see you at eleven thirty. Come swing by and we can grab a quick lunch and walk to the theater." She cheered and skipped back into the kitchen.

Kikyou and Sango stared at each other. Did it even require their intervention to get them together?

Within the kitchen, Miroku was silently patting himself on the back.

-:- -:- -:-

Sesshoumaru couldn't account for it, but he was bored. So very bored with everything. This would be his last year in college. He truly didn't need any more years of schooling. He was advanced in every aspect, often taking several courses outside of the curriculum as he had already exceeded the requirements. He was fully prepared to graduate with his doctorate, obtained in an obscenely short amount of time.

Besides, his life had already been laid out for him, and as he had been raised with fulfilling his obligation in mind, he had no thought to change it. He would continue as the practitioner, and eventual successor of his father's practice. He was content with the way his life was going, so why did it feel like something was missing. He assumed that it might be because it had been some time since he had truly spent time with his friends. They were his companions, and as close, if not closer, than family. He couldn't really explain why he had strayed, only that perhaps it was since he had been the oldest, and thus the experimenter of the group, but that didn't sound satisfactory either.

He sighed. He did feel a bit lonely without their presence. They had always been a lively group with no end to their amusement. He was certainly never bored around them. He had visited them as usual last week, but he noted, as had been the habit recently, that the atmosphere had been strained.

It had been his fault. He knew it. He had always brought a girl with him, a different one each time. It would have been better if he hadn't, but the appeal of the benefits of a girl had always outweighed the negatives in his mind at the time.

Now, they were all unaccountably uninteresting to him. It seemed like he had tried every different kind of girl. From beautiful and buxom to gorgeous and brilliant, he'd been with almost every kind of girl at his school, and a few older women. Simply put, not a single one had been able to hold his interest for more than a week. He'd be showing up solo this Friday.

Kagome's house had always been open to all of them, at any time, but it had been Friday night when they were sure they would all congregate there. It was almost tradition. He couldn't think of a time when they, minus him though, had all not been there, in all of their years. It would be nice to get together with them again. A bit awkward, perhaps. Kagome would somehow break the ice though. Unanimously, they all relied on Kagome to somehow repair the damage one of them had wrought. She was far from a peacemaker, that was Mirkou, strange as it was, but she could heal like no other.

Plus, she was always interesting to talk to. She spoke her mind and was one of the rare people that he could hold an intelligent conversation with. It would be good to see her again.

-:- -:- -:-

Over the course of the week, Houjo had been stopping over more and more often, in between classes and afterwards. Unfortunately, he insisted on bringing with him the unique Houjo brew, and encouraged her to drink it. So, by the time Friday had rolled around, she had become used to the strange and bitter taste, and found herself almost liking it. Perhaps she would force some down the throats of the others, if not just to watch the looks on their faces as they gagged it down.

At eleven thirty sharp, Houjo punctually rang the doorbell. Kagome, grinning from ear to ear, answered.

He seemed slightly nervous, yet still greeted her with a bright grin. "Ready?" He asked, blushing.

She nodded eagerly. She had been looking forward to this all week.

Shyly, Houjo held out a hand. Kagome almost giggled. Houjo was really cute. It was strange how she never noticed it before. He really did try to please her, and it wasn't like he had to, either. She took his proffered hand and looped their arms around each other, laughing as the crimson blush spread across his face and down his neck. He looked like a tomato!

"Let's go!" She cried, and proudly marched down the street, a crimson Houjo almost dragging behind her.

-:- -:- -:-

The waffle fell from Miroku's mouth. He gaped, uncaring that the syrup laden waffled had landed on his foot, and was currently oozing melted butter and syrup all over his right sock. He was just…stunned.

Sesshoumaru gave him an indifferent look. What was so shocking? That he had shown up at all? Or that he had shown up alone? He briefly wondered what kind of thoughts his friends had accumulated about him.

He nodded his head in silent greeting, and entered the house, choosing to ignore his gaping friend, and made his way into the living room. Upon his arrival, he was met with rather wordless shock. He was puzzled, was it truly that scandalous that he show up like this? Just what did they think of him now?

He ignored their surprise. His eyes scanned the room, not finding the one he was looking for. "Where's Kagome?"

-:- -:- -:-

The movie had been great! Kagome couldn't stop gushing over how fantastic it had been, and Houjo was only too happy to join in her enthusiasm. The graphics, the action, the voice acting, the plot and story! It was all so intense and so absolutely awesome! She couldn't wait until next week where she could go and see it again with all of their friends. She knew they would love it!

Spending time with Houjo was unexpectedly not boring. He was very intelligent, and had good opinions. Over lunch, he had been a great guy to talk to and she had to admit that he was much more remarkable than she had originally credited him. She felt kind of bad to have thought of him in such a dim light, but he had never struck her as very out-going or…interesting, even if they had grown up together. She had known he had always been a kind person, and she had adored his gentle nature. As kids, he would spend hours listening to her talk or lament if either Sango or Kikyou were gone, and it struck her rather suddenly that he had usually been one of the first guys of their group that she had sought out if she needed to talk. The other had been…

Well, she wouldn't think of it yet. Her time that day was devoted to Houjo. Lunch had also been delicious, another plus on this date.

They had a _lot_ more in common than she had originally guessed. They had similar tastes in music, and Houjo had recently bought a CD that Kagome had been dying to get her hands on. They had a brief stop over at Houjo's house to pick it up so that Kagome could borrow it. They also made one more stop on the way back to Kagome's house. She had a surprise for her friends.

Kagome burst into her house, her arms laden with crinkly packages. "Hey guys! Look what I got for y-" She slammed into something hard. Freeze-dried lizards went flying.

Kagome landed hard on her rear. She winced, rubbing at the sore spot. "Ow…"

"Oh! Kagome, are you alright?" Houjo was instantly at her side, taking her by the hand and easing her upward gently, all the while looking her over for signs of injury.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She murmured, finally looking up. "Eh? Sesshoumaru!" She said, startled.

Sesshoumaru gave her a strange look, his eyes drifting to Houjo. "Hello." He said softly to Kagome.

"Uh…hi!" She chirped nervously, flushing. The image of the last time she had seen him in her room flashed into her mind. She felt a throb of pain at the thought, but it seemed to hurt less than before. _It was just a crush_, she thought somewhat morosely. "Wh-what brings you here?" She asked, brushing her rear off and trying to recollect herself. Beside her, Houjo hovered, searching for any indication of ruptured organs or something.

Sesshoumaru raised a brow. "Is it not Friday?"

Kagome's face took a darker crimson hue. "Y-yeah." She stuttered. "I guess I forgot." Internally she winced. She hadn't forgotten that it was Friday, what she had forgotten was Sesshoumaru. In her excitement over the movie, she had cleared it with everyone except him. Somehow, she had missed him on her list of people to ask, but…

"Sorry, but, this really cool movie just came out. And I had asked Miroku, Inuyasha, Sango and Kikyou, but they were all busy. Only Houjo was free. So we decided to make a date of it. And we just got back, but it was a really good movie. And we're planning to see it again next weekend. Do you want to come?" She rambled.

Sesshoumaru stared down at her indifferently. He had heard most of what she had just said from Miroku, but a slightly slanted version. According to the monk's descendant, Kagome had been out on a date. Now, Kagome was telling him that it had merely been coincidental since no one else had been available. He frowned internally. What was Miroku trying to keep from him? Why?

Kagome bent down, recollecting her fallen paraphernalia. She came back up, her arms crossed, clutching at the sealed packages. She grinned. "So, did you want to come next week?" She asked, and Sesshoumaru realized that he had not given her an answer before.

"No." He replied shortly.

Her expression fell, but she regained a quick smile. "Well, at least you came. It's good to see you." She said politely, not noticing the way his features tightened slightly. "Are you leaving now?" She asked, remember that he had been on his way to the door as she had been coming in.

"I think I'll stay a little longer." He replied.

"Great!" She grinned. She stepped happily into the living room with both Sesshoumaru and Houjo in tow. "Hey guys! Look what I got!" She cried out gleefully.

"Umph! Kragrome?" Inuyasha articulated around a mouthful of uncooked ramen.

Kagome ignored him, noticing that her friends' eyes were trained on both what she held in her arms and the people behind her. "What?"

Sango stared at her arms. "What are those things?"

"I thought Sesshoumaru was going home." Inuyasha grunted, slightly perturbed that his brother was still there.

"How was your date?" Kikyou asked politely.

"Are those lizards?" Miroku gave the packages an odd look.

Unfortunately, her friends all spoke at once, and to her untrained ears she heard "Wa-I you-maru date-zards?" She smiled blankly. "What?"

Miroku flashed her a grin, ignoring the males behind her. "How was the movie?" He asked clearly, changing the topic slightly. He pointedly kept his attention on Kagome, while wondering why Sesshoumaru was behind her. Had he not made his intent to leave clear just a few moments ago? Miroku silently hoped that he was wrong about his reason to stay, it would only complicate matters.

"Oh!" Her face flushed in excitement. "It was so awesome! There were really cool fight scenes and everything! I _know_ you guys will love it! I can't wait until next week. It's completely worth it to see it more than once! Thank you so much Roku!" She leaned forward and threw her arms around the boy, exuberant about her friend's idea and consequently dropping her packages a second time. She looked down mildly surprised before clenching her eyes. "Oops."

Miroku laughed, slightly tightening his hold on her when it appeared she was ready to drop down and pick them up.

Beside her, Houjo had already bent down, gathering them up. "I'll just make some tea." He said, smiling.

The dark haired boy released Kagome with a grin and a light pat on the bum, and was rewarded with Sango's fist in his kidneys. "It was worth it." He gasped.

Kagome shook her head, but regained her fervor quickly. "Tea!" She grinned, turning to her rather bewildered friends. "You guys have _got_ to try this tea! It's a lot funky at first, but I'm sure you'll get used to it!" She called out as she ushered her lizard-bearing friend into the kitchen. Behind her Sango and Kikyou shared a glance, as Miroku gloated. _This was easier than they had anticipated_.

Unnoticed by them, the corners of Sesshoumaru's lips turned downward.

-:- -:- -:-

-:- -:- -:-

-:- -:- -:-

1: Ken Narita is Sesshoumaru's Japanese voice actor. I really have no idea why I felt the need to include that…

2: seiyuu is the Japanese term for the voice actor, that is, if I've spelled it correctly. Why have I put this in the chapter, I felt like it! I love it when a movie keeps the same voice actors in the movie. It gives the movie more credence, especially since a different voice actor tends to bring the character to life in a different way. Though, sometimes a different voice actor may be just as good, or better, but that usually happens only in rare cases. I find that I prefer Japanese voice acting over English dubs overall. This is my shameless advertising on the greatness of Japanese voice acting!


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

It was only somewhat surprising to Kagome that the Brown Lizard Tea had been unanimously banned from her home from that day forth. But it had been worth it just to watch her friends drink it.

Everyone had stared at the strangely thick brew for a moment, only Kagome and Houjo actually drinking theirs. The smell emanating from their cups was…odd, and they couldn't quite place or attach that smell with anything pleasant. As well as the fact that Kagome refused to reveal the type of tea they had prepared, going so far as to clap a hand over Houjo's mouth when the boy was about to speak. Also, her armload of freeze-dried lizards seemed to have disappeared someplace.

Finally, Kikyou had done the polite thing and taken a cautious sip. When she did not keel over and die under their watchful stares, the others also took a sip. They faces froze in horror at the taste, immediately spitting it out. Kikyou managed a gracious swallow, and paled, her lower lip trembling slightly.

Inuyasha yelped, fleeing toward the kitchen sink and maxing out the faucet while scrubbing at his tongue, all the while managing to scream out curses in their direction. "Fuck, Kagome! That shit was vile! The hell you give us that crap for? Ew ew ew!" He finished off maturely, clawing at his tongue, his head tucked beneath the faucet, water running directly into his mouth.

Kagome giggled uncontrollably, the rest too busy trying not to remember the taste of the tea to pay Inuyasha much mind. Houjo merely smiled, glad that at least the others were drinking something healthy.

It was then that Kagome noticed that Sesshoumaru was sitting rather rigid, his own cup untouched. She hid a frown. It would have been interesting to see what his expression would have been. She remembered a time when he had been much less aloof. She couldn't quite remember what had changed between them for him to become like that, but since then, things hadn't been the same. He was a veritable frosticle now, at least socially it seemed. Or maybe it was just with them.

He was the older, more mature member of their group. Maybe he was above these childish pranks? Even outgrown them maybe? That thought kind of hurt. Sesshoumaru had become a stranger to them, and she hadn't even realized it until it was too late. But even if that were the case, he still stayed with them, so that had to mean something. Yet, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something strange in the way he stared at the tea. Certainly it didn't smell _that_ bad.

-:- -:- -:-

Tuesday…

Kagome's backpack slid off her shoulder carelessly, falling to the floor with a _thump_.

She allowed herself a small moan. She hated Tuesdays for Tuesdays were Math days, the most hated of all the academics. She had just dragged herself home from one of the most grueling exams she had taken that semester. Thankfully, she hadn't been a total goon during the exam, Houjo had helped a lot in the weeks leading to it, but still, she hated math.

She sighed, flopping herself gracelessly onto her couch. She looked about the empty room listlessly. Another thing she disliked about Tuesdays, somehow it ended up that she was the only one who had free periods during the day. Everyone else had classes for the majority of the day, leaving maybe only a sparse hour or two for them to hang out, and only with a few members of the group at a time.

Maybe some brain numbing entertainment would take her mind off that atrocious test. Kagome grumbled, fumbling about her couch for the remote control. Damn those boys for never putting anything back to where they were supposed to go! She jumped off the couch and pulled out the cushions, groping around blindly until her fingers only came into contact with some old bread crumbs and a bag from some chips she had seen Miroku munching on last week. She frowned, next time she saw them, she was going to make them clean her couch!

Stifling a growl of frustration for the elusive remote, she tossed the cushions back onto the couch sloppily. Bah! She'd just turn to damn TV on by hand. She had rolled her body off the couch, and was painstakingly crawling over to her TV when her stomach growled suddenly. "Damn stomach." She muttered. "You're gonna make me fat." She berated her belly, before changing directions and heading toward the kitchen.

Exams always made her hungry afterward.

She gave a soft groan, and patted her belly, tottering into her own kitchen. A soft shuffling sound met her ears. Her eyes snapped open to see her fridge door already open and someone rummaging around in its contents. The shadow it cast revealed two socked feet from the bottom of the fridge door, and a flash of white hair. Kagome brightened. Inuyasha must've gotten out of class early.

Great! She had been itching for something to do.

She backtracked a few steps, and snuck around the kitchen island, crouching on the other end. She grinned. "I-nu-YASHA!" She pounced.

She threw her arms around a startled-Sesshoumaru? She froze. What was _he _doing here! "Um…hello." She said in a pathetic cover, and disentangled herself immediately. Well…almost. It seemed that her arms were trapped in Sesshoumaru's hands, although she couldn't quite remember when she had entangled herself in his specific grasp. It took a moment for her to figure out that Sesshoumaru was holding her arms where they were.

"Tell me, do you always greet my younger sibling in such an spirited manner?" He asked, almost politely, except he kept a rather strong grip on her arms.

"Ah…eh heh…sometimes?" She answered truthfully, eyes wide and innocent. She gave her arms another fruitless wiggle.

He said nothing in reply, merely staring at her with that unreadable look on his face. Kagome blushed hotly and turned her head, avoiding his gaze. Why did he have to be so _close_! Just being near him had made her heart pound a little faster. At this proximity, she was afraid that her heart would leap out of her chest! She hadn't been so physically near Sesshoumaru since they were in middle school.

Time passed slowly to her panicking brain, and the one thought that kept registering was the fact that she was hugging Sesshoumaru, albeit not completely under her own whim. _Her _arms were wrapped around him! Being held in place by _his_ hands! Hugging Inuyasha was one thing. The boy would flush and stutter, then mutter something about it being embarrassing. It was quite cute. Having her arms encircling Sesshoumaru was something completely different. It was like comparing a handshake with an acquaintance to slapping the president of the country upside the head. It was just something that was not done!

Sesshoumaru was not one to be embraced casually! Especially not by _her_.

She was probably making a bigger deal out of it than necessary, but she knew that in her heart, her feelings for him were far from faded. Trying to convince herself that it was just a crush that would disappear in time had not worked for the previous several years. Adding this to the melting pot of her confused emotions wouldn't help much either. WHY WASN'T HE LETTING GO?

Then he did.

It was so unexpected that she fell backward against the kitchen island with a yelp. She was on her feet in an instant, rubbing her head with one hand, and the other pointed indignantly in Sesshoumaru's face. "What was that for?" She demanded angrily.

He turned away, ignoring her, but before he had, Kagome could've sworn that she had seen an amused expression on his face. He was just playing with her! What the hell? She'd show him. She stood up slowly, watching his back as he pulled out a few sodas. Then she reached out, pressed her hand against the lever for crushed ice on the fridge door, and shoved a handful of it down his shirt.

He stiffened, his eyes widened unnaturally before narrowing at her.

Hm…in retrospect, she had just potentially pissed off her now estranged friend and was unsure of just how he would react or what exactly he would do to her now. Great going Kagome!

So, she did the rational thing and fled. She made it to the living room before she felt one long arm snake about her waist. Another hand clamped down on her hip and she was pulled to the side. Unfortunately, adrenaline made her rash, and she kicked off in the opposite direction that he was pulling. The opposing forces sent both to the ground, his arms still locked around her.

She landed with a thud and the wind rushed out of her lungs. That gave Sesshoumaru incentive enough to tighten his hold, much like a constrictor. She gasped as she felt his arms wind about her. What the hell was he doing?

"Se-sesshoumaru?" She wheezed, still not fully catching her breath.

He said nothing, flipping her onto her stomach and pinning her there. Then Kagome began to worry. He hovered inches above her, she could _feel_ his breath on her neck, but she couldn't see him. One of his hands held her wrists behind her back, reminding her a little too much of a police arrest. One leg overlapped her legs, holding them still, and she could hear the rustling of cloth. She couldn't begin to imagine what he was doing with his free hand.

But she felt it. She shrieked as his hand slid down the back of her shirt, a fistful of crushed ice clutched in his hand. She writhed, trying to free herself. It was COLD!

She could hear him snicker as he let go. She jumped up, reaching up her shirt to remove the ice before chucking it at Sesshoumaru's smirking face. He dodged it easily. He still held another handful of ice, removed from his own dripping back. That was a lot of ice she had tossed down his shirt. She began to somewhat regret it as the confident flash in his eyes promised that she would find more ice in her clothes if she didn't escape him quick enough.

Truth be told, it had been a long time since Sesshoumaru had acted so…playful. Kagome couldn't recall the last time they had just goofed off with one another. She missed those carefree days.

Sesshoumaru had been approachable once, well approachable to her. Now he was cold and somewhat unpredictable. She never could tell what went on behind those golden eyes of his, what he was thinking or wanting. There had been a time when she had been a pretty good guess at his thoughts and wants…but now…well, at the current point in time, she was running to save her own skin in her own house.

She decided to just go with it if Sesshoumaru was feeling lively. What could it hurt?

-:- -:- -:-

Apparently…it could hurt a lot.

Nothing much happened after Tuesday. Come Friday, Kagome was bored with school and itching to see the movie on Saturday. Her friends were likewise excited. Inuyasha kept grumbling about having to wait a whole week to see the movie. He had actually been ready to slug one of his classmates who wouldn't shut up about the movie, and had taunted him for not seeing it yet.

They were once again sprawled out across various pieces of furniture and on the floor of Kagome's living room. Sango had prepared some salsa to go with the chips Kikyou had bought. Miroku and Inuyasha were engaging in a soda chugging contest, the latter choosing to shotgun the cans. And Houjo was shyly sitting beside Kagome on the couch as she flipped through the channels. Somehow, it hadn't entered her mind that once again, Sesshoumaru would show up alone. He was sitting in an adjacent chair, neither minding or caring what the others did, nor did he choose to participate in anything. He was just silent, and for the most part, seemed to be ignoring them all.

He also wasn't acting as if anything was different from the norm. No one knew about what had happened on Tuesday. No one had seen him acting differently than he normally acted now. It kind of bothered her slightly, yet at the same time, flattered her. She wished he could be a bit more open with others. He had become such a closed person since High School. Now, he was a walking frosticle of a person, and a playboy one at that.

Kagome frowned inwardly. Somehow, she had come to expect to see the form of another female draped across his. It was rather pessimistic of her, if not rude, to think that way of him, but she chose to blame the jealous side of her for that. She still cared, and that little event earlier that week hadn't stemmed any residual feelings. But, it also hadn't increased her affection either, but rather, made her feel almost guilty.

Her fingers flipped through the channels with increasing fervor, the TV resembling a colorful strobe light.

Houjo really did like her. And she liked him. They had always been companionable and open to one another. But somehow, realizing that she might never be rid of her initial feelings for Sesshoumaru, and that he didn't help much by acting so oddly, made her feel like she was somehow cheating on Houjo. It was preposterous since to be cheating, they would have to be dating, and they were only friends. But she couldn't quite convince herself that Houjo wasn't seeking a bit more from their relationship, and she wasn't quite willing to commit to it yet.

-:- -:- -:-

Miroku burped loudly. He had lost to Inuyasha, but didn't mind it so much. He excused himself to the bathroom as Inuyasha released a victory belch.

He had been distracted by Kagome. The girl didn't realize how transparent she was, or how simple her feelings actually were. She was torn by her wanting to please two people in ways she didn't know how. Kagome had never really been in a relationship with anyone, her friends being the only people she really spent time with.

He stared at his reflection in the mirror a moment before turning on the tap.

Her family was somewhere in the deserts of Egypt, along with her younger brother. Both of her parents were successful archaeologists, with Kagome following in their footsteps as he major was in the same field. Eventually she would leave to join them. But, due to her parents' occupation, they had moved around a lot in the past before settling to buy a home when Kagome was beginning grade school in which she could finish her school years. She had been somewhat isolated by being socially limited in who she knew, and never really met with anyone outside of their circle of friends. As such, she was emotionally stunted in a sense. Her emotions had never matured beyond the point of a child.

Passion, guilt, and love would be painful things for her to learn, especially in teenage years. Miroku himself had gone through a rough childhood after the death of his father, regardless of having his friends. He had been forced to grow up quickly. And despite appearances, he was perhaps the most mature of their entire group. He had easily recognized Kagome's turmoil. She may not have realized it yet, but she was soon to feel a lot worse, being unable to resolve her feelings. She simply did not know how.

The only way he could see to it, was for Sesshoumaru to leave her alone. It was impractical in the sense that doing so would make it impossible for Kagome to completely come to terms with her true affections. She couldn't recognize a crush from love yet. But Sesshoumaru wasn't helping matters either.

Miroku squeezed a bit of liquid soap from the dispenser and lathered it in his hands making them white and foamy before rinsing it off.

Miroku could see it. Hewasn't quite sure what the older teen wanted. He was interested in Kagome, Miroku knew, but Miroku didn't know if Sesshoumaru loved her. He was afraid that the older teen would see Kagome as someone who needed to be kept, as he knew that Sesshoumaru disliked losing things he cared about. If Kagome was to be lost to another boy, even if it was within their circle, Sesshoumaru wouldn't have it.

The dark-haired boy frowned. This wasn't being fair to Kagome, but he needed Sesshoumaru to keep his distance. The white-haired teen simply did not realize how emotionally fragile Kagome was. Things were simply beyond her understanding and mistakes were made too easily. If Sesshoumaru did choose to pursue her, with his distant brand of affection, Kagome wouldn't understand if he cared for her or not. It would upset her, and Miroku cared too much about her to allow that to happen.

He splashed his face a bit with the icy water before toweling his hands and face dry. Re-hanging the towel, he left the bathroom.

He would have to have a talk with Sesshoumaru.

-:- -:- -:-

Kagome all but pounced on Miroku as he exited the bathroom. She slung her arms around his neck with a grin on her face. "So, we're going to see the movie tomorrow, right? Right?"

He smiled in return, patting her on the head. "Uh-huh." He replied.

"What time?" She asked.

He thought about it a moment. "Want to eat before or after?"

"Before." Kagome replied instantly. "We're always hungry in the theater, so let's eat, then we can snack inside too."

"Alright then, let's meet at 11:30 for some lunch. We can see the midday matinee that way." Miroku did some quick calculations in his head. Lunch and the movie. He had offered for it to be his treat, and he could easily afford it. Not a problem.

"Great!" She chirped happily. Then shrieked as she felt a hand run down her back, too far south for her liking. She slapped him hard.

He was still grinning as his head was slammed into the wall.

-:- -:- -:-

Kagome plopped back down on the couch with a huff. Houjo gave her a worried look. He leaned in toward her. "Are you alright?" He asked softly.

She flushed slightly. "Yeah. Just Miroku being Miroku."

Houjo's mouth made a nice 'o'. Even he understood that as he had accidentally been felt up once by the boy's 'cursed hand.' It was not too memorable, as Kagome had been fleeing and decided to shield herself behind Houjo, and the monk's descendant had simply missed. But Miroku had been so scandalized that he hadn't tried to grope anyone for days afterward. Sango promptly referred to it as Miroku's kryptonite, and had tried, fruitlessly, to try to get him to grab Inuyasha, just to see the results.

Kagome gave a tiny giggle in remembrance. She had never seen Miroku's eyes so big before. He looked as if he had somehow caught the plague, and poor Houjo. The brunette had simply not understood the black-haired boy's irrational fear, too rigid himself from actually being groped. Miroku had been catatonic for a few minutes, giving Sango ample time to doodle on his face, before settling back down on the couch beside Kagome. Kikyou had done the wise thing and snapped a few shots of the boy, then tucked her digital camera into her purse and sat on the other side of Kagome. It would be good blackmail to use against Miroku if he ever got his head into any hair-brained schemes or cons that required any of the girls' participation.

Inuyasha suddenly yelped in impatience at Kagome's constant channel surfing and dove for the remote, which Kagome chucked at his head. He caught it with his face, grumbled, and pointed it at the television in time to see Sango slip a DVD in with a grin.

Kagome leaned onto Houjo slightly. His body was warm and soft, and gave Kagome an almost lethargic feeling. It was comfortable. Perhaps it was bold of her to do so, in knowing that Houjo was actively pursuing her, but he did like her, and she had convinced herself that given time, she could like him back in the same way.

-:- -:- -:-

When the movie finished. Kikyou stood with a stretch and a grin and made her way to Kagome's rather extensive DVD library and slipped in another disc. They took a moment to wait for Sango as she bustled in the kitchen to make some popcorn. Inuyasha was on the phone dialing the local pizza place. And Kagome was asleep against a blushing Houjo's side.

Miroku took his chance, and with subtle gesture towards the only man who would notice, motioned him into another room. Sesshoumaru followed in silence, only mildly curious to what the dark-haired teen would want with him. They had not exactly been very conversational toward each other in the current or recent past.

He closed the door behind them then Miroku turned his violet eyes to meet flat golden ones. He frowned slightly. "What ever it is you're doing, Sesshoumaru, I'd like to ask you to stop." He said seriously.

"What am I doing?" Sesshoumaru dead-panned, sounding almost innocent.

Miroku's frown deepened. "I think Kagome could be happy with Houjo, so I'm asking you politely to leave them alone. You haven't had any interest in her for all these years. Now, you're acting like a child who's lost a toy they haven't played with in months, wanting it back. I don't want you to play with her feelings. She deserves better than that."

Sesshoumaru said nothing in reply, his face absent of expression.

Miroku's level gaze never left Sesshoumaru. He waited for a response. He knew what he had said, what he had implied, and how insulting the older man would find it. He was being blunt, perhaps too much so, but he was telling Sesshoumaru, straight-out, what needed to be said.

The white-haired man smirked suddenly. "Who ever said that I never had any interest in her?" He asked casually before leaving the room.

Miroku could only stare, shocked, at the place Sesshoumaru had just vacated. What had he meant by that? His face contorted. Damn that man! This was just a game to him! He ran out of the room in time to see Sesshoumaru, coat slung over his shoulder, bent over Kagome, whispering something in her ear. Houjo had left to get a drink, and so, no one else noticed when Sesshoumaru slipped from the house, a startled Kagome left behind.

Miroku ran up to her. "What did he say?" He asked, worried. Shit, had he just made it worse?

Kagome blinked. "He said that he was coming with us tomorrow." She replied, surprised. She wondered what had changed his mind so suddenly.

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SM: Finally an update. Hooray...(snore) So tired...so lazy...But I'm writing. This turned into a Miroku drabble like midway, but I think I got my point across. Miroku thinks too much. (dizzy) I need to take some time off work.

Also, all news updates will be posted on my livejournal. The link is in my profile. Thanks to all who read and review this! Love ya!


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